Former Defence Secretary commences testifying before Special Select Committee

Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando has commenced testifying before the Special Parliamentary Select Committee appointed to look into the terrorist attacks on Easter Sunday.

The committee convened for the third time at 11.00 a.m. this morning (06) at the parliamentary premises.

Inspector General Pujith Jayasundara was also summoned to testify before the committee earlier today and he said, then-Defense Secretary (Kapila Waidyaratne) verbally informed him that the President has asked to notify that there is no need for the IGP to attend the meetings of the Security Council.

At the inaugural meeting held on May 29th, Defence Secretary General Shantha Kottegoda and Chief of State Intelligence Service Sisira Mendis testified before the committee.

When the committee convened for the second time on May 4th, four senior police officers were to testify before the committee, however, only former DIG of the Terrorist Investigation Division Nalaka de Silva has testified on that day.